Dorados de Sinaloa appoint Diego Maradona as manager at 2nd-tier Mexican club

Diego Maradona has been appointed coach of Mexican second-division team Dorados, local media reported on Thursday.

The club issued a short video on their social media channels with the messages "Welcome Diego," and "Make it a 10," the Argentina great's shirt number as a player.

Sources told ESPN Mexico on Wednesday that negotiations between Maradona and the club were taking place, but a previous arrangement between the Argentina legend and Belarus side Dynamo Brest remained a sticking point.

Although Dorados, who are based in Sinaloa state in northwest Mexico, gave no further details, Mexican newspapers said Maradona had been hired to replace Francisco Gamez.

Dorados fired Gamez earlier on Thursday after a poor start to the season that brought three points out of a possible 15. They are 13th in the 15-team league, joint bottom of the table.

Maradona, 57, is considered one of the greatest players of all time after a career that peaked in 1986 when he captained Argentina to their second and last World Cup title.

He has had short stints coaching clubs in Argentina and the United Arab Emirates but his longest spell in charge was with Argentina, who he led at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Dorados' goalkeeper, Gaspar Servio, welcomed Maradona's appointment.

"That one of the greatest of all time and the top idol that we have [in Argentina] will coach us gives us pride," Servio, from Argentina, told TyC Sports.

"We are very happy with the experience he will bring. We need someone like Diego. We found out [Thursday] through rumours but it surprised us because still had a coach. I think [Maradona] will take us where we need to go. I hope he is the person that leads us to promotion to the top flight."